Peace Love and Walkers
by beccablue64
Summary: Max and Jesus are best friends. It's always been just the 2 of them. What happens when they meet a new group with a certain handsome redneck? My own personal spin beginning with introduction to Hilltop. Does not necessarily follow cannon. First fanfic, so comments are welcomed. I do not own anything related to TWD. Eventual Daryl/OFC relationship
1. Intro

**Hey everyone! This is my first fanfic, so please bear with me. My ADD and OCD have already caused me to rewrite the first 2 chapters. I will try to get as much done on additional chapters as possible before posting though (I'm impatient as well).**

 **Comments, reviews, hell any feedback is greatly appreciated** **J**

 **Now for the "business" side of things. I do not own anything remotely related to The Walking Dead, just my OC. I've never read the comics (although I do know some things that have happened). And my memory sucks, so things that I reference from the TV show may not be exactly how they happened (specifically with names of "not so important" characters).**

 **Thanks so much for reading. Now, on with the story…**

 _Intro_

 _Max and her best friend, Jesus, grew up together. They were both considered the outcasts of their respective families. It was always them against the world. When the world went to shit, that didn't change much, however they did get some help from a ragtag group of survivors._

 _Will they be accepted into this new family? Will Max finally find love? Will Jesus learn that being a part of something bigger than himself is better than being on his own?_


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Max was worried. Her friend had been gone too long. He was supposed to be back a day ago. _Please let Jesus be okay_ she said to herself. She did not want to be here with all of these people without her best friend. Although they've been living here, if you could call it that, for the past 6 months, Max still kept to herself as much as possible. People just got on her nerves nowadays.

As she tried busying herself to keep her mind off of her friend and looking out the window every few minutes, the large wooden gates opened. She stepped out of her home to see a group of six strangers walking through the gates.

 _What is this shit?_ she wondered to herself. Kal knows better than to let strangers come in here. They had been out of ammo for a couple of months now and no one in this place knew how to fight, except for her and Jesus. She took a couple more hesitant steps then saw the face she had been so worried about and missing.

"Jesus!" she yelled, running towards her best friend, her bare feet running through the red dirt, long beige skirt flowing behind her.

"Where in the hell have you been? Do you know how worried I was?" she said as she flung her arms around the man's neck and jumped into his arms.

"Sorry, Max. Ran into a little trouble out there. These people were kind enough to help out", Jesus said as he nodded to the group of strangers.

It was then that Max noticed the bandage on Jesus' head and the black eye. "How did this happen?" she asked, surveying his injuries.

"Hit my head on the door of a moving truck after Daryl punched me" Jesus said with a mischievous grin, looking at the man standing next to him.

Max looked at the man she assumed was "Daryl" up and down with clinched jaws. Before she could really focus on those broad shoulders and well-defined arms, she slugged him with a right hook.

"Damn, Max!" Jesus yelled, holding her back. This sudden outburst got the attention of the rest of the group, readying themselves for what may come next.

"If you EVER lay another hand on him, I will KILL you! Understand?" she yelled at the man as he rubbed his jaw with an amused look on his face.

"Calm down, Max! I'm okay." Jesus said a little sternly. "Everyone, this is Max. She's a little overprotective…and a little crazy," he smirked, causing Max to roll her eyes and punch him in the shoulder.

"Ow!

Jesus began introducing Max to the group.

Rick was obviously the leader. He had long dark hair with some gray mixed in and a scraggly beard. He reminded Max of this man they used to see up north at Grateful Dead shows. He always had this beautiful German shepherd with him. He didn't have the same intense and weary eyes that Rick does. Guess that's what the end of the world will do to a man's eyes.

Michonne just looked like a badass. She had long dreads, toned arms and a fucking sword! How cool is that! She too had that same look in her eyes, but there was something else that Max noticed…hope, maybe?

Glenn and Maggie were definitely a couple. They had the optimism that only being in love could give being how horrible the world was now. It was nice to see that love still existed.

Abraham looked ex-military. He stood straight, shoulders back, head up. He had a fiery spark in his eyes. He looked like he could entertain you for hours. You couldn't help but smile looking at him with is bright orange hair and mustache.

And then there was Daryl, the man she just punched in the face. Max was starting to feel somewhat guilty about her first impression, just somewhat though. He had a perpetual scowl on his face, not trusting of anyone. She didn't think he had ever cracked a smile his whole life. _Huh,_ she thought. _I feel a challenge coming on._

"They're here to meet with Gregory, see if we can work out some kind of trade agreement between our 2 communities," Jesus told her.

"Well, King Douchebag is in his office in the big house. Probably drinking his whiskey, staring at that damn painting," Max said. Gregory was a jackass. She's still not sure how he became leader of their community. He was a coward, only thought of himself. He tried to make people feel inferior by not calling them by their right name or simply dismissing them abruptly. She hated him and everything he stood for. She tried to stay as far away from him as possible.

They began walking towards a huge brick mansion. Jesus turned to face the group.

"Welcome to the Hilltop," he said.

As they made their ascent towards the house, Jesus was giving the group a short history lesson on property. _He can be such a nerd sometimes;_ Max smiled inwardly thinking about her friend.

Barrington House, or as Max called it "the big house" was built during the Civil War. Every kid that grew up in the surrounding areas has visited the museum at least once, if not twice, on school field trips. Since it had withstood decades of wars, it was a logical place for shelter when the outbreak began.

The house was the focal point of the property. FEMA trailers set up to the right provided housing for Hilltop's residents. A makeshift farm was to the right. They had crops, horse stable and pig and goat pens. There was even a blacksmith's shed. The whole area was surrounded by high walls build from corrugated steel.

Max, walking behind the group, noticed Rick taking everything in. He was always very keen of his surroundings. Daryl was also very observant. You could see his wheels spinning a mile a minute. Max noticed the curious look Daryl gave Rick when he spotted what looked like an old school bus parked to the right, away from the housing trailers. Rick just shrugged his shoulders. Max couldn't help but grin to herself, for that was her home.

She and Jesus worked for 2 years on that thing. They gutted the inside and turned it into a traveling home. Behind the driver's seat was a small ottoman with bench seating covered in cushions and oversized pillows on the right side. The left side of the bus had a small sink and stove with 1 overhead cabinet and 2 sets of drawers. The back of the bus was separated by a hanging mandala tapestry with different shades of blues and purples mixed in. A wooden bed frame holding a full size mattress sat in the back, facing the back door. A storage chest sat in the corner.

This was their dream. Max and Jesus were going to travel the country, seeing concerts, meeting new people, and taking in the beauty of the land. They were on the road for a year before all hell broke loose.

When they entered Barrington House, Jesus excused himself to let Gregory know they were here. A few minutes later, Gregory and Jesus emerged from his office.

"Geez, Max! Why don't you clean yourself up and put on some goddamn shoes," Gregory bellowed.

"Geez, Gregory! Why don't you stop being a dick!" Max responded, storming out the front door.

"Man, I hate him," she muttered to herself.

Max went back to her bus. She had a couple of lawn chairs sitting out front. She liked sitting out there. You could see the whole community from this vantage point. She sat, waiting for the drama to unfold in front of her. She knew Gregory would say something stupid or offensive and she was waiting for the fallout of that. Hey, there's no TV anymore. Gotta make do with what you have.

As if right on cue, the front door to Barrington House flew open. First Daryl came storming out with Rick behind him. Jesus was hot on their trail.

"He's just being an ass. That's how Gregory is. Let me talk to him. Y'all can stay the night and tomorrow morning when we meet, we will get something worked out that will benefit both of our communities," she heard Jesus tell the two men.

 _That was a world record._ Max thought. _It only took Gregory 10 minutes to piss someone off._


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The sun was beginning to set. This was Max's favorite time of the day. She loved how the sky could transition from bright blue to pinks, reds and yellows. It looked like a painting. Then as it got dark, seeing thousands of twinkling stars dotting the blackness. Now that there were no streetlights and bright neon signs that polluted city landscapes, the stars shone brighter than ever. It gave Max a small feeling of comfort seeing that there was still beauty in this new world.

She was so engrossed in the show that the setting sun was giving her, she didn't hear the footsteps. She did, however, hear someone clear their throat, which startled her.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare ya." It was Daryl. _Now what was he doing over here?_

"It's okay. I shouldn't have been zoned out to begin with," Max said. "Sorry about earlier, you know."

"Oh, when you slugged a complete stranger?" he offered.

"Yeah, not the best first impression, huh?" she said.

"Don't worry about it. I've had worse. Can't say I ever seen a girl stand up for her boyfriend like that, unless it was against another girl," Daryl said.

"Oh, Jesus is not my boyfriend," Max said with a slight grin. She always found it funny when people assumed that they were a couple. "We're just friends, grew up together."

"Oh," Daryl said, chewing on his thumbnail.

"Would you like to sit down and hang out for a bit?" Max asked. "Unless you want to go back inside with Gregory," she smirked.

"It took everything in me not to put a bolt in his ass," Daryl replied as he sat down in the chair beside her.

"Yeah, he's a douche. Reminds me of a slimy used car salesman," Max said.

And then there was silence. Max could tell that Daryl was uncomfortable for some reason, but that didn't seem to bother her. She took this moment to really look at the man. He was definitely hot. He had strong arms, but not overly, body builder type, strong from doing a hard day's work, like construction or something. _Strong enough to lift her up and have his way with her against a tree._ Wait, where did that come from? Max shook the thought out of her head and continued with her examination.

He had a broad chest, _Wonder what it would be like to have that as a pillow,_ large hands that looked rough from manual labor, _Wonder what they would feel like touching my skin,_ and the most piercing blue eyes, as blue as the sky on a cloudless day, _I could stare into those all day._

 _Whoa, easy Max. Pull yourself together, she_ thought, shifting in her chair ever so slightly.

Daryl knew the girl was watching him. He could feel her eyes on him. He couldn't bring himself to look at her directly though. She had surprised the hell out of him with that punch. When he saw her running toward Jesus when they first arrived, he thought it looked like something out of a cheesy romance novel. The girl wasn't even wearing shoes for Christ's sake! And her long flowing skirt just took the cake. _How in the hell has this chick survived this long?_ He thought.

As soon as he finished that thought, that's when he felt her fist connect with his jaw. _Ok, maybe I misjudged the little hippie,_ he thought as he rubbed his jaw. Daryl prided himself for the fact that he was a pretty good judge of character. Within 5 minutes of meeting Max, he had no clue what she was about. What bothered him the most is that he really wanted to find out.

"Where ya from?" Daryl asked. God he wasn't good at this, getting to know people, small talk, whatever. But he would go through any type of torture to not have to go back in that house where Gregory was.

"Originally from North Carolina, right in the heart of the Bible belt," Max answered. "But I prefer to think of myself as from all over. Jesus and I liked to travel a lot in big Bertha here," she said, giving a nod to the bus.

"That thing actually runs?" Daryl asked surprised.

"Of course it runs. We made it to the west coast and back before everything went to shit. We were coming back from the Coachella festival in California when the outbreak happened. We've travelled up north, to Maine and back. I think the only states we haven't been to are Alaska, Hawaii and the Great Lakes area."

Daryl was impressed. He had never been outside of Georgia until his group decided to head for DC. While Max was telling him about her travels, Daryl took a chance and looked at her. She was very pretty, not supermodel pretty, but down to earth pretty. She had long wavy brown hair that would reflect shades of red in the sunlight. Her eyes were a beautiful mixture of green and brown with flecks of gold. Her nose and cheeks were dotted with cute freckles. _Shit, Dixon. What are you doing thinking about her cute freckles? Merle would have a field day with this._

"Daryl, there you are," Rick said, walking up to them. "Gregory said that he would meet with Maggie in the morning to negotiate. We're all staying in the house tonight."

Daryl just grunted as he stood from his seat.

"It was nice talking with you," Max yelled out as he began walking away.

He threw his hand up in a slight wave.

 _Not only does the man never smile, but also he's not much of a talker either._ Max thought to herself. _Challenge accepted._ She smiled.


	4. Chapter 3

**Ok, so the first 2 Chapters were rewritten. Here starts the new stuff.**

 **Big Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy it** **J**

Chapter 3

Max was a little perturbed when people shouting and interrupting the delicious dream she was having about one, Daryl Dixon, awaked her. She got out of bed, got dressed and pulled her hair back in a loose ponytail. She stepped outside to see what all the commotion was about and boy, did she just walk into a cluster fuck.

Three men from the Hilltop, she never bothered to ask their names had just returned from dropping off supplies to the Saviors. Evidently, the shipment was light, so the Saviors kept one guy hostage. His brother, who was now lying dead in a pool of blood, had stabbed Gregory. _Damn, she hate she missed that!_ Rick slit the man's throat and a fight ensued. Jesus, ever the peacekeeper that he is, was calming everyone down.

Dr. Carson took Gregory into the house to attend to his wound while Rick's group, Jesus and Max waited downstairs. Jesus was explaining to Rick and the others about the Saviors.

"They're led by a man that calls himself, Negan," he said. "Real bad dude. Says that him and his men would offer the Hilltop 'protection', in exchange for half of our supplies. To prove he's not one to be taken lightly, he bashed the head of a 16 year old boy with a barbed wire baseball bat."

Max was glad her and Jesus had not been here for that.

"This Negan ain't nothing but the boogeyman," Daryl said. "If we kill him, will you give us half your stuff? We want food, medicine and one of those cows."

Jesus looked hesitant. He had never witnessed Negan's violence, but had heard from the other Hilltop residents how brutal he could be. He wasn't comfortable getting this group involved with him. They seemed like good people.

"I'll take it to Gregory," was all Jesus could say.

After meeting with Gregory, it was decided that they would give Rick and his group half of their supplies in exchange for rescuing Charlie, the guy the Saviors were holding hostage, and killing Negan. Jesus and Max rode with them back to Alexandria to discuss it with the inhabitants there. They also took Brent, one of the guys that returned from the shipment drop off since he was familiar with the area that the Saviors were staying at.

When they arrived at Alexandria, Max couldn't believe her eyes. This was one of those really nice, expensive neighborhoods that only politicians and wealthy businessmen would live. They gathered in what she assumed was Rick's house. It was Rick, Daryl, Michonne, Glenn, Maggie and Abraham, along 4 others that Max had just met, Carol, Rosita, Tara and Heath.

Brent drew a map of the compound that had a room for weapons storage and sleeping quarters. The plan was basically to go in, kill everyone while they slept and steal anything they could get their hands on, specifically guns and ammo.

At one time in her life, Max would've had a problem killing someone, hell, violence of any kind, but that seemed like a lifetime ago. In this new world, you've gotta do what you've gotta do to survive and hope you don't completely lose yourself in the process. Max and Jesus looked out for one another to make sure that didn't happen.

It had always been just the 2 of them, ever since they were 5. Their families lived on the same street in a small town in North Carolina. Max was more of a tomboy growing up. Where the other boys would tease her for trying to play them, Jesus just let her hang around. They became inseparable, much to the dismay of their parents, as they got older.

When they were 16, they went to their first Grateful Dead show and their lives changed. They discovered a community of people that didn't judge you and accepted you for who you were. The people were laid back, artistic, funny and everyone helped out those in need. That's when Max and Jesus got the idea to turn an old broken down school bus into a traveling home. As soon as they turned 18, they got the hell out of North Carolina and started traveling across the US. It was their dream. It was their freedom.

Now they were with another community of people trying to protect one another. But instead of helping out a fellow man who's van broke down on the side of the road or helping to raise bail money for some guy that got busted with pot at a concert, they were planning to murder people in their sleep. _The times they are a'changin'_ as Max remembered the words of Bob Dylan.

Daryl couldn't help but steal quick glances at Max as Rick was going over the plan for that night. _Why did she come anyway?_ He thought to himself. _She's just going to get herself killed._ That thought didn't settle too well with the redneck. He had just met this girl. There was so much that he wanted to find out about her. He wanted to hear more stories of her travels across the country. He wanted to know what exactly her relationship with Jesus was. She told him last night that they were just friends, but there was definitely a bond there and love. _Was he jealous? Nah, Daryl Dixon doesn't do jealous._ But something kept gnawing at him every time he'd see Jesus rest his hand on the small of her back or her hand gently touch his arm. _Get your head out of your ass and into the game, Dixon_ he cursed himself.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Nightfall had come. Everyone began the journey to the Saviors compound. Before they left, Rick, Jesus and Daryl left to "run an errand". When they returned they had a dismembered head with them. It was supposed to be Gregory's head, Max found out, as payment for the light shipment. Max couldn't help but chuckle at the macabre scene. This was straight out of a B horror movie.

Daryl had to do a double take when he saw Max come out of Rick's house to get into the car. She was dressed in black jeans, black tank top and yes, black boots. He didn't think the girl ever wore shoes. She had a large hunting knife strapped to her belt and saw her stick something in her boots.

"Are those ice picks?" he asked her with a questioning look.

"Yeah, didn't you ever see Basic Instinct? Max said with a smirk.

Daryl blushed slightly remembering that movie.

Everyone rode in silence as they made their way to the compound. The plan was for Rick's group to go inside and Jesus and Max to stay hidden. The Saviors may recognize them as being from Hilltop. They would only there to help if something went wrong.

They pulled up to the compound. It was basked in red light and had 2 large satellites on top of a concrete building. Max and Jesus hid in the woods.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Max told her friend.

"It'll be alright. They pull this off; it'll be nice to not have to deal with the assholes anymore. I'm tired of having the shit I risk my life to find all go to them. It's like the Mafia." He replied.

"Someday I'll make him an offer he can't refuse," Max, said, in a terrible Godfather impersonation.

"Max, you are not right, girl" Jesus chuckled.

"That's why you love me," she grinned.

"That is true"

Right then a loud alarm started going off.

"Shit!" Max exclaimed. "They need our help."

Max and Jesus cautiously made their way into the building. They came upon 2 hallways. Jesus motioned that he'll take the left, while she was to go right.

"Be careful," she silently mouthed to him.

"Always" he did the same.

Max was flush against the wall, creeping down the hallway. She heard more gunfire not far ahead. She peered around a corner and saw Daryl standing there with his hands up. A man had an assault rifle pointed at him. His back was turned to her. Daryl caught a glimpse of her peeking around the corner. He tried to tell her "No" without giving away her presence.

She quietly rounded the corner, with her ice pick gripped in her hand. She didn't make a sound. Daryl swore that if he hadn't been looking right at her, he wouldn't have known she was there. She reminded him of a cat silently stalking its prey. She quickly kicked the guy in the back of his knee causing it to buckle, making him fall. In one fluid movement, she reached her left arm around his forehead and plunged the ice pick into his right ear, letting him drop to the floor.

Daryl ran up to her with a surprised look on his face and retrieved the rifle from the dead man. _Second time she's surprised the hell outta me,_ he thought.

"We need to move!" He said.

As they began making a hasty retreat, one of the side doors opened. A man stepped out looking confused at the chaos going on. Max quickly spun around bringing her leg up and foot making contact with the man's head. His head jerked to the side, hitting the wall. Before he hit the floor, Max was on top of him, ramming her ice pick into his eye.

Daryl and Max made their way outside and met up with the rest of the group. Max was relieved to see Jesus out there and ran to give him a hug. She turned when she heard the sound of a motorcycle.

"Son of a bitch!" she heard Daryl yell just as he tackled the man on the bike and began punching him. "Where did you get this?" he kept asking.

"Leave him alone. We have 2 of your people, a Carol and a Maggie," a woman's voice came over the walkie attached to the man's belt.

"Max, Jesus, you two get back to Hilltop. We'll take care of this," Rick said.

Max and Jesus were hesitant to leave, but the resolve in Rick's eyes changed their minds. They needed to get back in case anyone slipped by them and wanted to retaliate against the Hilltop. With a quick nod, they left.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

When Max and Jesus returned to Hilltop, the first thing Max did was go shower. She didn't mind getting dirty and sweaty and even smelly, but she hated having blood on her. Jesus went to check on Gregory and let him know how everything went.

When he came out of Barrington House, he saw Max perched in her chair in front of big Bertha. She had already showered and changed into a long tie-dyed maxi dress. Her hair was down and blowing in the soft breeze. If things were different, if he was different, he would have married her long ago. She's the only person he's ever truly loved. But he was who he was. She had accepted that a long time ago, way before he even accepted it himself. All he could do was smile as he looked at his friend.

He walked over and sat beside her. Her head was back, eyes closed, letting the sun wash over her face, feeling its warmth run through her body.

"You okay?" he asked. She could hear the concern in his voice.

"Yep. You?" was her response, eyes still closed.

He knew she was decompressing, trying to find her Zen. Growing up in the Bible belt, they were always told they were going to hell for their sins. Sometimes he wondered if they were already there. But if this were hell, they would not be together.

Jesus stood up, bent down and kissed her lightly on her cheek. She opened her eyes and gave him a knowing look, like she had been reading his mind just then.

"We're still here. We're still together. We're good" was all she said.

She gave him a warm smile as he walked to his trailer. Like her, Jesus hated hurting people. He hated violence of any kind. He had been bullied growing up and vowed to live a peaceful life. Life has a way of fucking with you.

She snapped out of her reverie when she heard the gates opening. She felt her heart actually skip a beat when she saw Him. Daryl got out of the car, his eyes roaming over the area like he was looking for something. His eyes stopped when they met hers and he gave her a single nod.

Jesus came out to greet them. He called out to Max and asked her to take Maggie and Glenn to see Dr. Carson. Max came up to escort the couple to the medical trailer. Daryl saw her bare feet sticking out from underneath her dress. He couldn't help the small smirk that formed on his lips. He didn't think anyone noticed. _Okay, a smirk, not a smile. But we're getting closer._ Max thought to herself as she felt her cheeks turn pink.

After Max dropped off Maggie and Glenn to see Dr. Carson, she went back to her spot to view the goings on around the camp. Jesus had told Rick he would have their share of the supplies ready by morning.

Another beautiful sunset was starting to play across the sky. It was a little cooler this evening, so Max made a small fire in the fire pit. She sat back in her chair watching the flames dance up into the air. This time, she did hear the footsteps and was not startled by her visitor.

"Where did you learn to fight like that," Daryl asked, sitting down in the chair beside her. "Are you some kind of ninja hippie?" He teased.

Max smiled at Daryl's comment. "No, well, I guess, sort of. Jesus wanted to take a martial arts class when we were teenagers so he could protect himself when the bullies at school would pounce on him. I personally think he wanted to take the class because the instructor was really cute. Anyways, I ended up taking the class with him." She explained. "We also used to watch a lot of WWE," she said trying to hold back a giggle.

"I thought you were all peace, love and happiness," Daryl said.

"I was. I still try to be. But in this world, that idea will get you killed in a heartbeat. It's all about balance though. You can't survive out here anymore without doing some bad shit. The trick is to balance the bad shit out with something good. Otherwise, you'll lose yourself to the bad and be no better than the monsters that are out there now."

"What is left in this world that's good anymore?" he asked with a bit of sadness in his voice. It seems all his life; Daryl has only seen the bad. He's never had anything good happen to him even as a child. Mom burnt herself up and their home when he was young. Dad used him as a whipping post and punching bag until he was 18. Brother was a meth addict that kept disappearing on him instead of protecting him from his father. And since the world ended, he has lost too many people to count.

"There is still good in this world" Max said. "It can be the way the sun feels on your skin, or the sound of the wind in the tree tops. It can be the laughter of a child or the nuzzle from a dog. It can be a chance meeting with a crossbow toting stranger," she said, her eyes staring into the fire.

Daryl felt his face flush.

"Daryl Dixon, did you just blush?" Max asked in a slightly teasing voice. "I didn't know ears could turn that shade of red"

"Shuddup" he grunted.

"I'm just teasing. Trying to lighten the mood here. Balance, you know?"

"Yeah, I'm starting to get the idea" he said. And with that he stood up to head toward the house.

"You're pretty badass, Max. Glad I didn't piss you off more than I did yesterday. I would've hate to have faced the wrath of Ninja Hippie instead of just a punch to the jaw" he said, not turning completely around so she couldn't see the smile forming at the corner of his mouth.

"Why thank you, Mr. Dixon," she laughed. "Just keep that in mind if you ever piss me off again."


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It had been a week since that night with the Saviors and there had been no retaliation so far. Max's uneasy feeling began to ease up some, but not completely. And the fact that she kept thinking about Daryl was not helping. She was all out of sorts.

"What's eating you?" she heard Jesus' voice as he entered the bus. He found her sitting on the bench staring down at the pillow she was holding in her lap, picking at the frayed corners of it.

"Nothing" she shrugged.

"Bullshit" he said. "This is me you're talking to. I know when something's bugging you."

"The other night was just a little too easy, don't you think? I mean, we don't even know for sure if Negan was in there. I just have this feeling that this isn't over by a long shot," Max told him.

"Maybe not, but we'll handle anything that gets thrown our way. We always do," Jesus tried to reassure her. "That's not all that's bothering you, though. And I think I know what it is."

"Oh, and what is that Mr. Know it All?" she said with a wry smile, finally looking up at him.

"You like Daryl," he said in a singsong voice, teasing her.

"How old are you, like, 6?" she huffed. "Grow up, Jesus. There's no time for like, lust, love or any of that other shit in this world today."

"Max, you didn't make time for that before the world is what it is today. Hell, I've had a relationship since your last one, and we both know it's been awhile since that."

"Yeah, and how did that turn out for ya?" she asked.

"Hush!" he said as he sat down beside her and gave her a knowing smile. "If you have feelings for the man, do something about it. We're not guaranteed tomorrow here. I don't want you to miss out on something that could be really great just because you're scared." He put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a gentle hug. "From what I've seen, the first move would definitely need to be yours. I don't think Daryl even knows how to make a move. He's hot, but he has no game whatsoever."

"Oh, and like you have game?" Max grinned.

"You know it" Jesus chuckled back. "Look, you know I love ya and will do anything in the world for you. I just worry about you sometimes. You need to have someone other than me that you can be close to, give you the things that I can't." He tone taking on a serious note.

"It's not about that, you know that," she said, her tone just a serious. "And you should take your own advice too."

"Yeah, I know, but pickings for me are pretty slim around here."

"Maybe we should pay another visit to Alexandria. See if we can snag us both a man," Max suggested. "We could say we were just checking to see if they've received any threats regarding the other night."

"Max, you may be onto something there."

Max and Jesus arrived at Alexandria later that day. They could already feel the sadness in the air as soon as they entered the gate. Rick greeted him with a somber expression on his face.

"Daryl, Rosita and Denise, our resident doctor, ran into some Saviors earlier today while on a run. Denise didn't make it," he informed the duo.

"Rick, we are so sorry," Max said. "Is there anything that we can do?"

"Nah, Daryl is over there digging a grave for her. Everyone's just kinda numb right now. No matter how many people you lose, it never gets any easier," Rick replied. "We need to be alert though. I have a feeling this isn't the last we'll see of the Saviors," he said ominously. They all nodded in agreement.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Daryl had just finished covering the grave that he buried yet another friend in. _You should have protected her._ He cursed to himself. _This is all your fault. You should've killed that bastard, Dwight, when you had the chance that day in the woods._

He had just downed 2 airplane bottles of whiskey that he found. He wasn't one for drinking, he was a dick when he drank, but today seemed like a good day to be a dick. That's when he heard someone walking up behind him. Shit, he didn't need or want to be around anyone right now, not even Carol. He was surprised when he turned around and saw Max standing there.

"Hey," she said. "Rick told me what happened. I'm really sorry about your friend," offering a smile of understanding.

"Thanks," he gruffed. That's all he could get out. He wasn't expecting to see her standing there. He was feeling vulnerable with the responsibility of Denise's death and just wanted a moment to himself so he could thoroughly beat himself up over it. He didn't want someone offering him pity or sympathy for what happened. But Max wasn't offering those things. The way she looked at him simply told him that she understood.

Max walked to stand beside him. She stood there, her arm brushing up against his. She quietly slipped her hand inside his. His gut reaction was to pull away and run, but he didn't. He kinda felt nice having someone there to share the load of his grief. They just stood there in silence, staring down at the fresh grave, holding hands. Max turned to look at him with those big eyes and leaned up to gently place a kiss on his cheek. She let go of his hand and turned to walk away. Immediately, Daryl missed having her next to him.

After the short memorial service, Max found Daryl sitting on the front steps of his house smoking a cigarette. She motioned to the spot beside him, silently asking for permission to sit. He simply nodded once. They sat there in silence for a moment, giving Daryl an opportunity to really look at her. She was wearing jeans that were fitted in the waist and butt and had on an olive green shirt that really brought out the green in her eyes.

When she looked over to meet his eyes, he quickly looked down suddenly interested in his shoes. He didn't even realize he had said out loud what he had been thinking.

"It's my fault she dead," he spoke quietly.

"Did you pull the trigger?" Max asked, equally as quiet.

"No, but still…" he began.

"Still nothing," she said a little forcefully. "You're one of those, I see."

"One of what," he asked, anger beginning to rise in his voice.

"One of those that blames themselves for everything bad that's ever happened," she replied. "You can't do that to yourself. It will eat you up inside and get you killed. Bad things happen. People die. It hurts like hell, but it's not your fault. The only person to blame is the one that shot that arrow at her."

She turned slightly, looking him straight in those mesmerizing blue eyes. "You can't shoulder the blame for everything. Did Denise choose to go on the run herself?"

"Yeah. Said she would go with or without me an' Rosita," he said. "Said she didn't want to be afraid of what's out there anymore."

"She sounds like a very brave woman. Don't take that away from her. Blaming yourself for what happened, that only takes away the courage that she had to make that choice and go out there. She knew the risks. She wanted to change and become a stronger person, face her fears. And you should be proud in the fact that she wanted you with her on this journey. We need to celebrate the lives of those we lose, not mourn their deaths."

Daryl had never heard anyone put it that way before.

"Balance, huh?" he said.

"Yeah, balance," she gave him a half grin.

"Come on, Max, we should head back," Jesus startled the pair as he came out the front door.

They both stood from the step, Daryl shuffling his feet around while Max gave Jesus a slight pout.

"Okay," she said begrudgingly, not wanting to leave. She gave Daryl one final look over her shoulder before they left.

 _What was this girl doing to him?_ Daryl laid in his bed that night thinking over the day's events. It was a shit day, losing Denise like that. But seeing Max and listening to her speak made it a little bit better. The things that she said made sense. He knew he couldn't keep going on this way. He was told so many times from an early age that he was a worthless piece of shit. And he believed it too. It wasn't until he met up with Rick and the group that he started feeling like he was worth something. He provided for these people. He tried his best to protect them. He knew his new family cared for him and respected him. And deep down, he knew that no one blamed him for Denise's death. So why on Earth could he not get the thought of going out there and killing that son of a bitch, Dwight out of his head?

As Max laid in her bed that night, she couldn't get the look in Daryl's eyes out of her head. There was so much pain, self-loathing and anger in those eyes. She recognized that look for she at one time had that same look in her eyes. She knew he was going to do something rash and get his ass into trouble. She just hoped that he didn't get himself killed in the process.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Two days had passed since she last saw Daryl. She had been worried sick about him the whole time. Jesus was starting to worry about her himself. He didn't like it when she closed herself off from him, anyone else, he could understand, but not him.

It was early in the morning; the sun was just beginning to rise when the gates opened up. Jesus and Max both went running out to greet their visitors. Maggie and Sasha got out of the truck. As soon as Max saw their faces, she knew something really bad had happened.

Maggie looked like she was about to fall over. Jesus ran to the medical trailer to get Dr. Carson. By the time he returned, Maggie had already fallen to her knees, unable to stand or walk. Jesus picked her up bridal style and carried her to the trailer so Dr. Carson could examine her.

Max was left out there with Sasha. She had only met the woman once, but she liked her. Sasha was a tough chick. She had lost her brother and her boyfriend to the walkers. She was a survivor. Max remembered seeing a look between Sasha and Abraham the last time she was in Alexandria. She got the impression that something was blooming there.

As Max got closer to the truck, she gasped at the sight in the back. There were 2 lifeless bodies lying in the bed of the truck. Both bodies were missing their heads, but it didn't look like a sharp weapon had decapitated them. They had been bashed in with a blunt object and there was simply nothing left. Max knew immediately who the 2 bodies belonged to, Abraham and Glenn.

Jesus returned and noticed Max trembling. He looked into the truck and saw what was making her tremble. He went to retrieve 3 shovels, handing Sasha and Max one each.

"There's a place back here we can bury them," Jesus gently told Sasha. She just nodded, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.

Once they were done and Abraham and Glenn were laid to rest, Jesus took Sasha to his trailer so she could get some rest. "They have Daryl," she said.

"Sasha, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want, but could you please tell me what happened?" Jesus asked her. And she did. She told Jesus about the horrific past 48 hours.

Jesus left the trailer in search of Max. He found her leaving the medical trailer. "How's Maggie doing?" he asked.

"She's in shock. Hasn't said one word. Doc is going to give her something to help her sleep. The baby seems to be doing okay though," Max said.

"Listen, Max, Sasha told me what happened. Let's go sit down and talk."

"No, Jesus! You tell me now what's going on." She didn't like the look in her friend's eyes. She knew he had to tell her something bad and was scared. All she could think was that Daryl was dead.

"Daryl left Alexandria to look for the man that killed Denise," he began. "He was going to kill him. Glenn, Rosita and Michonne went after him. While they were gone, Maggie started having sharp pains in her stomach. Rick, Aaron, Sasha, Abraham, Carl and Eugene got Maggie into the RV and were heading here. Every route they tried was blocked off by the Saviors."

Max's heart fell in her chest. She knew how this story was going to end.

Jesus kept going. "They decided to try to make it here on foot. They found themselves surrounded. They met Negan. He pulled Glenn, Rosita, Michonne and Daryl out of a van they were being held in. Daryl had been shot. He didn't look too good."

Tears started to form in Max's eyes. She didn't, couldn't believe was she was hearing.

"Negan killed Abraham first. When he started taunting Rosita, Daryl got up and punched him. That's when Negan killed Glenn. He let everyone go after that, telling them that they now work for him. He took Daryl with him though."

That was it. Max couldn't listen to anymore. She fell into Jesus' arms, sobbing with her head pressed against his neck.

"He's still alive, Max. We can find a way to get him back."

"How are we going to do that?" she asked through choked back tears. "We don't even know where they're keeping him. We don't know how many there are. We know nothing about this asshole, Negan!" she screamed.

"We'll figure it out," was all he could say. Truth was, he had no idea how they were going to pull this off. He just wanted to comfort his friend who was hurting right now. He knew she was beginning to like the redneck, but he didn't know until now just how much. He didn't think she knew until now either.

He walked Max back to the bus and made her lay down to get some rest. He picked some flowers and placed them on Abraham and Glenn's graves. He also took some to Maggie and sat them on the bedside table. She had finally fallen asleep.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Daryl didn't know where he was. It was dark and he was cold. He was sitting on a concrete floor and naked. He shoulder still hurt like a bitch, but he felt a bandage over the bullet wound from where Dwight had shot him. He was trying to remember what had happened after that.

Loud music began to play in the darkness. It sounded like some children's song, upbeat and annoying as hell. That's when the events of the past day began coming back to him.

Abraham. Glenn.

Daryl just sat there, curled up into the tightest ball he could manage in the corner. The door opened, the light immediately blinding Daryl. He saw a figure come in. Dwight. Dwight threw a paper plate on the floor that had a sandwich on it. He didn't say a word and shut the door.

Daryl reached out for the food. He took one bite and threw up. It was dog food. At this moment, Daryl truly wanted to die. He watched helplessly as 2 of his friends, no his family, were brutally murdered in front of him. He couldn't do anything about it. And Glenn, that was all on him. He knew it was his fault Glenn was gone. If he hadn't gone after Negan like that, Glenn would still be here. He would be able to see his baby being born.

And what is happening to the rest of his family now? Were they still alive? Was Alexandria still standing? And what off the Hilltop? Did Negan know that Max and Jesus helped them?

Max. Daryl couldn't get the woman out of his mind. He was so scared for her. In just a short time, she made him look at things differently, look at the world differently, look at himself differently. She HAD to be okay. She just had to.

Daryl didn't know how long it had been since he last slept. He certainly hadn't closed his eyes since he'd been in this dark room. _Shut that fuckin' music off!_

It was the same routine. Dwight coming in to give him his sandwich and leaving him back in the dark. Daryl was able to stomach it sometimes. He knew they were trying to break him. He knew they had seen the scars on his back, letting them know that he could withstand any type of physical torture. No, they were trying to break his mind, his spirit, not his body. He couldn't let that happen. _Balance,_ he thought. He kept replaying the image in his mind of Max standing there beside him, holding his hand at Denise's grave.

Dwight opened the door and threw some clothes at Daryl. It was a pair of dirty sweatpants and sweatshirt. _At least he's not naked anymore._ Dwight then took Daryl outside. The sun was blinding, but felt good shining on Daryl's face. _Balance._

Dwight was shoving him against a fence, making him look at the other prisoners fighting with the undead. He told him he could either be one of them out there or accept his fate and be one of them, one of Negan's henchmen. Daryl had no plans of joining Negan's sick, twisted group. He'd take is chances fighting the undead.

Daryl was back in is dark cell. That damn music still pumping loudly in his head. If he could just get some sleep, he could think more clearly. He tried breaking down the door, but it was no use. He tried to listen to conversation out in the hallway, but could only hear muffled sounds. How was he going to get out of this?

That's when he heard it. The lock to his door unlocked, but no one came in. He bent down to look under the door for any sign of movement and saw none. He quietly opened the door and looked around. The hallway was empty. He crept through down the hall, making sure to stay in the shadows. He had no idea of where he was going; he just knew he had to get out.

He found a door leading to the outside. He peered out the window and saw a row of motorcycles. Yeah, this was too easy, but he had to at least try. He quickly ran out, checking the bikes for keys. He wasn't out there 2 minutes before he was surrounded.

Negan strolled up with his bat, Lucille, thrown over his shoulder. He was so smug, it made Daryl want to beat the living shit out of him right there. But he knew he couldn't, not yet.

"Who are you?" Negan asked, pointed to one of the men. "Negan," the man responded. "And who are you?" Negan asked another man. "Negan," same response. Every time Negan asked one of them "Who are you" the same response was given, "Negan".

Now, Negan looked at Daryl. "Who are you?" is whispered in Daryl's face, so close that Daryl could feel his hot breath on his forehead. Daryl kept silent. He was giving in. He wasn't broken. He was going to fight for his family and for himself.

Negan gave Daryl a smirk at his silence, turned around and let the group of men start beating him senseless. Daryl got a few punches in, but he was so weak and could not keep up the fight. He was taken back to his dark cell with a busted lip, bloody nose and fresh black eye. He probably had a cracked rib or two as well.

Sometime later, Dwight came back to his cell. Daryl was sitting against the wall just staring at the door. Dwight threw something down on the ground and shut the door. It was a Polaroid picture of something. Daryl couldn't quite make it out at first. As he tried focusing his tired eyes on the picture it suddenly began to register in his brain what he was looking at. It was a picture of Glenn with his head bashed in. You couldn't even make out the face. Daryl only knew it was Glenn by the clothes and the pocket watch that Hershel gave him when they were still at the farm.

The silence in the room was strangling. Daryl couldn't take it anymore. Suddenly music began playing loudly except this time it wasn't that god-awful song, but something different. It was Roy Orbison's "Crying". Daryl let the haunting melody wash over him and he broke down, grieving for his friend. _Balance._


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Jesus quietly stepped onto the bus, not wanting to disturb Max in case she had fallen asleep. But she wasn't asleep. He found her sitting on the bed, deep in thought.

"We've got to get him out of there," she calmly spoke.

"How do you propose we do that?" Jesus asked.

"I'm not sure. But I do have an idea," she began. "Once we do get him out, he can't go back to Alexandria, directly. When Negan finds Daryl gone, that'll be the first place he goes looking for him. If he comes back to Hilltop, that could put everyone here in danger. We've got to find a place to lay low until someone comes up with a plan to take Negan and his Saviors out, so they will no longer be a threat."

"I've been thinking about a way to do that for awhile now," Jesus said. "But I need to talk to Rick first." Max gave him a puzzled look. "I'll fill you in after I talk to Rick."

"What about that old lake house we saw on our last run together?" Jesus asked. "That place would be good to hold up in for a few days."

"That's a great idea!" Max said with a hint of a smile on her face. Jesus was glad to see that. He was beginning to worry about his friend.

"Now the big question, how do we get Daryl? We have no clue where the Saviors are at," Max asked.

"Get some sleep. Tomorrow you can gather enough supplies for several days. We can go up to the lake house and make sure it's clear," Jesus replied. And with that, he left to head back towards his trailer.

The next morning, Max packed a duffle bag. She filled it with food; bottles of water, toiletries and a change of clothes that she thought would fit Daryl. She was loading up a truck for her and Jesus to take up to the lake house, when the gates opened. About 30 men, all Saviors came charging through the gate.

 _This can't be good_ she thought to herself.

The men headed straight for Barrington House, no doubt to have a "chat" with Gregory. She saw Gregory and Jesus come out the front door to greet the unwanted visitors. Jesus briefly looked at her before everyone entered into the house.

 _What is going on in there?_ She wondered. As much as she wanted to see Gregory be humiliated, she had more important things to do. She knew Jesus could handle any situation that may arise in there.

A few minutes later, Jesus came out of the house. He calmly walked toward her as she was finishing loading the truck.

"Be careful on your run today," he said loud enough for the remaining Saviors left outside to hear. Giving her a quick hug, he whispered into her ear, "I've got a plan. You go to the lake house to make sure it's safe. I'll meet you there."

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

"Gonna catch a ride," Jesus replied with a smirk.

Max gave him another hug, telling him to be careful as she got into the truck. She was surprised that the Saviors remaining outside didn't give her any trouble, but she figured they were too concerned with what was going on inside. Besides, they weren't the ones calling the shots. They looked like they didn't wipe their asses without being told to do so.

She headed north toward the lake, making sure she wasn't being followed. When she arrived, the beauty of it took her breath away. It was just a small cabin surrounded by woods. It didn't look like much until you reached the back of the cabin and saw the beautiful lake that stretched out. The sun was already shining down, making the water glisten. There was a small dock, where Max could picture a small boat tied up. Before the dead began walking around and a crazy psycho killing people with a barbed wire baseball bat, Max would've felt uneasy about being here. It reminded her of the movie Friday the 13th. But a hockey-masked serial killer was the last thing to be afraid of in this world.

She pulled the truck to the side, quickly stepping out in case there was an immediate threat. After listening to the stillness of the area, the only thing Max heard was the water gently lapping against the shore and the occasional breeze blowing in the trees. She stepped to the front door of the cabin, giving it a couple of loud knocks. If anything were in there, it wouldn't take long to make its presence known.

Satisfied that the cabin was empty, she slowly opened the door. She had a machete in her hand, ready to attack. She quietly made her way through the front room, which consisted of a living area and kitchen. After checking the one closet, she made her way into the one bedroom. Finding nothing that needed killing, she went back outside to unload the truck.

The cabin was in good shape. The place had already been ransacked, but the structure was still holding up nicely. The living room had a sofa and recliner sitting in front of a stone fireplace. The kitchen had a small table and chairs. The bedroom had a bed and dresser, very minimal.

Max gathered some wood in case the nights got cool and began the torturous task of waiting. She knew what Jesus was planning to do. He was going to somehow stowaway in one of the supply trucks that was heading back to the Saviors compound. How he was going to find Daryl and get him out without being detected, she didn't have a clue. But she knew if anyone could pull it off, Jesus could. He was a sneaky little bastard.

Then she began to think about Daryl. What kind of shape would he be in? She knew he would be tortured. The memory of seeing Glenn and Abraham's bodies when Maggie and Sasha arrived at Hilltop sent a shiver down her spine. What kind of man could do that to another human being? No, Negan wasn't a man, he was a monster.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The sun was beginning to set. Normally, this was Max's favorite time of the day, but her fear and worry for her friends prevented her from enjoying the colorful sky. It was at that moment she heard a rustling sound in the woods.

Quietly, she stepped off the porch, machete in one and, listening for the intrusive sound again. She heard a twig snap to her right. She quickly ran behind a large oak tree, peering around looking for the cause of the noise. She let out a breath of relief when she saw Jesus walking towards the cabin.

She ran up to her friend embracing him in a bear hug.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up," she said, looking him over, making sure he was ok. When she could see that he was fine, not a scratch on him, she noticed movement over his shoulder. That's when she first saw him and her heart sank.

Daryl had his head hung down, not looking at either one of them. He was wearing some filthy sweatshirt and sweatpants, not the perfect attire for the Georgia heat. He had dried blood everywhere. She couldn't tell if it was his or someone else's. He looked beaten down and lost. She wanted to run up to him and hug him just like she'd done with Jesus, but she knew that would frighten him.

She slowly walked up to him, trying not to make any sudden movements. He was shifting from one foot to the other, body tense, like he was readying himself for a fight. She lightly touched his arm, making him flinch at the contact.

"Come on, let's get you inside," she spoke in a soothing voice.

The three of them went into the cabin. She didn't know if Daryl would want to eat, sleep or get cleaned up first. She let him look around the cabin, letting him see that it was safe.

"If you want to clean up, the lake is pretty warm. I brought some clothes I thought would fit you," she said. Daryl silently grabbed the bag, not making eye contact.

He didn't want her to see the fear, the heartbreak, and the brokenness in his eyes. When Max looked into your eyes, it was like she was looking into your soul. She had done that with him at Denise's grave. He didn't want her to see inside his soul now. He didn't want anyone to see him now.

Daryl walked down to the lake, knowing that Jesus was keeping an eye on him in case he decided to run. The thought did cross his mind, but where would he go? Jesus told him where they were going after they left the Sanctuary. It made sense to him, going into "hiding" for a little while, until they could get some sort of offense going against Negan and the Saviors. Jesus told him of other communities that Negan had under his thumb, that maybe they could unite all of the communities against Negan.

It was a good idea. But Daryl couldn't be any part of planning it out. He couldn't go back to Alexandria. Jesus was right in that Alexandria would be the first place Negan would come looking for him. And he couldn't let himself cause more death to his family.

Daryl stripped off his clothes and waded into the lake. Max was right, the water was warm. He felt the dirt; grime and blood wash from his body, the water hugging at his sore muscles in an attempt to relax him. He fully submerged himself under the water, trying to hide from the nightmare of his life.

 _How had he gotten here? He was just a simple redneck with only his drugged out older brother to watch after._ Daryl thought. _He never had anyone care about him and he never had anyone to care about. He had been fine with that. Then the world went to shit, he lost his brother and had found a real family. The love and respect that Rick, Carol, Glenn and the rest of them showed him made him feel whole. Made him feel like his life was worth something. Now all of that was gone and in its place was a loneliness and darkness that he couldn't escape._ When he could hold his breath no longer, he stood back up, the air hitting his face.

Daryl got dressed and began walking back towards the cabin. He heard Jesus and Max talking quietly on the front porch.

"You'll know what to do," he heard Jesus say to her. "You always do."

Daryl couldn't help but notice the worried look on Max's face. He put his head back down, and walked up the steps.

"I'm going to head back. Somebody needs to be there in case Negan shows up," Jesus said.

Max simply nodded and gave him a hug.

"I'll come back for y'all when it's safe," he said as he made his departure.

"Do you want to come inside and eat something?" Max asked Daryl, her voice a little shaky. He gave a nod, still not looking at her.

They walked inside, Max first. She had set the food out on the table, motioning for him to take what he wanted. There was an assortment of fruits and vegetables, dried beef jerky, granola bars and bottled waters. Daryl opted for an apple and some jerky.

Max didn't feel like eating. Her stomach was in knots. She grabbed a bottle of water and took a sip.

Daryl couldn't help himself and decided to still a glance at her face. She looked tired, eyes puffy from lack of sleep. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun. _God, she was beautiful._ He thought to himself. She looked like an angel. He could not think of one reason why she would be risking her life to help him.

"What did he mean when he said that you would know what to do?" Daryl asked in almost a whisper.

Max thought she imagined the words coming out of his mouth. "I'm very good a reading people," she said. "It's almost like a 6th sense. I can tell what a person is feeling and what that person needs to feel differently. It's the Pisces in me, I guess," she shrugged a bit.

"I've had to talk Jesus down a couple of times from a few bad trips before," she grinned slightly thinking of the past. "One time he thought he was a lion. He was stalking around on all fours, roaring at people," she said with a chuckle. "I wish we had had cell phones with cameras back then. That shit definitely would've gone viral on the internet."

"So you think you know what I'm feeling?" Daryl asked with a bit of anger in his voice.

"Yes, I do," she said, voice not wavering.

"You don't know shit!" he yelled, standing up from the table, almost kicking the chair back to the floor. He walked over to the sink, arms crossed over his chest, staring down at his feet.

Max stood up and walked over to stand directly in front of him. She reached up, and wrapped both arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes to reach him better. She felt his whole body tense up, like he was going to push her away and make a run for it.

"It's not your fault," she whispered in his ear.

And it was at those words that Daryl let himself go. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, silently sobbing, letting all of the horrors that had happened over the past several days out. His arms dropped from in front of his chest and hesitantly wrapped around her waist.


	13. Chapter 12

**Warning, talk of drug use and attempted suicide in this chapter.**

Chapter 12

Max woke up to the early morning sun shining through the windows. She was on the sofa in the living room of the cabin. She actually felt pretty good this morning. She hadn't realized how exhausted she had been until she closed her eyes last night. She thought back to the day before, Jesus rescuing Daryl from the Sanctuary and bringing him here to their little hideaway. She remembered seeing Daryl and her heart breaking at his appearance and demeanor. She was planning at that moment for this to take a lot longer than she had anticipated.

It was true that her and Jesus thought it would be best to keep Daryl out of sight for a few days until after Negan went on his first initial rampage looking for the escaped prisoner. Max had an ulterior motive as well. She remembered him after Denise's death, and the guilt that he put on himself. Hell, that ended up getting him shot and captured. She could only imagine how the guilt of Glenn's death would be affecting him. She wanted to have some time alone with him, to try and help him from going down that downward spiral she was all too familiar with.

When she had wrapped her arms around him and told him that it wasn't his fault, she had expected more of a fight from the redneck. She wasn't expecting him to give into her so easily. _I guess he's finally tired of fighting,_ she thought to herself.

As she was contemplating her next move, she heard the soft snores coming from the recliner and smiled to herself. She looked over and saw Daryl stretched out in the chair, head lolled to the side, mouth slightly open. He looked so peaceful at that moment.

Daryl began to stir, sensing someone was watching him. He opened his eyes to see Max lying on the sofa looking at him with a small smile on her face.

"What?" he said, rather gruffly.

"You snore," she said with a smirk.

"Shuddup," was all he could say.

"Let's eat," Max said as she rose from the sofa. She reached high up above her head, stretching out her body, raising her tank top just enough for Daryl to see her mid-drift.

They ate in silence until Max suggested they spend the day outdoors. There were some storm clouds off in the distance and she wanted to enjoy the sun as long as it was shining. As they made their way outside, she looked at Daryl with a raised eyebrow.

"Now, what?" he asked.

"Something's not right," she said, taking in his appearance. He was wearing the clothes that she had brought for him, black cargo pants and a blue denim shirt. She took her knife out of the sheath looped on her belt and walked toward him. He tensed just slightly then realized what she was doing and relaxed. She reached up and sliced at the seam of the shirt on his left shoulder and ripped the sleeve off. She did the same thing to the right side.

"Much better," she said with a smile.

Daryl couldn't help the grin that was forming on his lips. How is it that after everything that has happened, the woman standing in front of him can make him smile?

They walked down to the dock and sat there, neither one of the speaking at first. Daryl would steal a glance over at her when he thought she wasn't looking as she did the same. Max wanted him to open up and talk to her, but she knew they were a long ways from that. Just having him feel comfortable enough to be around her and holding his head up was more than she could ask for right now.

Daryl had so many questions he wanted to ask her. There was so much that he wanted to know since the moment she punched him that first day they met. Then that first night, sitting out in front of her "bus", listening to her talk. He wasn't much for conversation, and people usually got on his nerves when they talked all the time, but he could listen to her talk forever. He loved the way her eyes lit up when she remembered a happier time from her past, like yesterday when she told him the story of Jesus on LSD thinking he was a lion.

Daryl cleared his throat as he tried to find the courage to ask her the main question that had been on his mind.

"Why do you care," he asked, breaking the silence between them.

"What?" she asked, coming out of whatever reverie she had been in.

"Jesus risked his life to get me out of the hell hole and you're risking your life keeping me here," he said. "Why do you care? Why do it?"

Max thought for a moment before she answered. She knew what Daryl was asking. She knew he didn't think he was worth saving, much less from someone that he barely knew.

"I've been where you are right now," she began. "Well, not exactly where you are, but I know how it feels to feel hopeless and empty inside." It was at that moment that the sky darkened and the heavens opened up. Max and Daryl stood up and ran toward the cabin to get out of the downpour.

They made their way inside. Daryl quickly got a fire started in the fireplace as the dampness from the rain was making it chilly. Max went into the bedroom to change into some dry clothes. She came out wearing a knee length olive green dress that flowed around her legs. _There's that hippie girl_ , Daryl said to himself with a smile.

They both sat of the sofa in front of the fire. Max knew Daryl was still waiting on an explanation to his question. She just didn't know how to go about telling him. She had never talked about her lowest point in life, except for with Jesus, because he had been there. She knew it wasn't that big of a deal now, with the way the world was, but it's still something she wasn't proud of.

"When Jesus and I first took off, we met a group of people that were following the Grateful Dead for the summer," she began. "They asked if we wanted to join them. They were really good people. We had so much fun that summer, traveling, dancing, not a care in the world. This being our first tour, Jesus and I wanted to experience it all, not caring about the consequences."

Max began to fidget a bit. She brought her legs up and tucked her feet under her. "We started dabbling in the drugs that were prevalent in the scene. We had smoked pot before and even taken shrooms. But this summer we experimented with other things, like LSD and X. Nothing bad ever happened, so we didn't think it was a big deal."

Daryl sat there, watching Max get more uncomfortable as she spoke.

"The next summer, we met up with same group of people, only this time, one of the couples from the previous summer had broken up. Jeff, the guy, was going with us, but his ex, Stephanie, was not. The summer started out as the previous one. We traveled from upstate New York, down the east coast, and then headed out west. At some point Jeff began hitting on me. He was cute and really nice. I had never really been in a serious relationship before, so it was exciting to me. Also during this time the drug use started to increase greatly. We didn't get high using the same amount as before, so we had to take more hits of acid or more pills of X."

Daryl had watched his brother spiral out of control on drugs. His drug of choice was meth though. He had done shrooms before on a camping trip with his brother, but that was about the extent of his drug use. Between his father's drinking and his brother's meth, he didn't want to get mixed up in all that shit.

"By the end of the summer, Jeff and I were officially a couple. That fall and winter I decided to travel with him to follow Phish since the Dead were on break. I thought I was in love. I thought I finally meant something to someone. As it turned out, I was just a distraction. Jeff was still seeing his ex at the same time we were together. He ended up marrying her a few years later."

Max was fighting back tears now. "I know every girl gets her heart broken, but I guess for my first heartbreak to be coupled with a year of drugs, my mind wasn't thinking too clearly. I fell into the deepest, darkest of holes. Jesus tried his best to get me through, but there was nothing he could do to help me. One night, I decided to end it all and took a bunch of sleeping pills. Jesus found me and rushed me to the hospital. The doctors had to pump my stomach. After that they still didn't know if I was going to make it or not."

Max was crying now. "The thing is, looking back on it, I was never really in love with Jeff. It was all the drugs that made me feel that way. That's all we did whenever we were together. We never spent any time together sober. I probably would've hated him if we had. I just had such a yearning to be loved and accepted, that I thought he was it."

Max looked up into Daryl's crystal blue eyes. He didn't look at her with pity. He had never been in love, but he knew what if felt like wanted to be loved and accepted. He had been wanting that his whole life.

"What happened after that?" he asked. "I mean, you obviously made it"

"I went into rehab and began seeing a psychologist. She put me on one of those anti-depressants and things slowly started getting better," Max said.

"Of course when the world ends, it's hard to get your prescriptions filled," she chuckled. "I still have days where I don't feel like getting out of bed and all I want to do is cry, but they're not often."

"I also swore to never fall in love again, although I know now that I wasn't ever in love with Jeff," she said.

"But that's not something you really have control over. I mean, you came along and shot that all to hell," she said quietly, somewhat wishing Daryl hadn't heard that last part.

But he did.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Daryl stared at her with wide eyes. Did he just hear her right? Was she in love with him?

The silence between them was awkward. Daryl couldn't believe that this beautiful woman sitting in front of him was filled with self-doubt. She always seemed so confident and easy going, always seemed…happy. And here she was, telling him that she could be the exact opposite.

Max could see Daryl processing everything that she had just confessed to him. She knew he didn't judge her for her past mistakes, just like she didn't judge him. But she didn't know if he felt the way about her as she did for him. The longer he went without saying anything, the more insecure she felt.

"I think I'm going to go lay down for a bit. I'm suddenly feeling really tired," Max said as she stood and headed toward the bedroom.

Daryl still sat there on the sofa, not knowing what to do. He wanted to grab her and tell her that she was all he thought about since meeting her. He wanted to tell her that it was her that kept him from completely losing himself while being tortured by Negan. He wanted to tell her that he was in love with her too, but he couldn't make the words come out of his mouth. So he just sat there, dumbfounded.

When she went into the bedroom, he knew he had to do something. He didn't want her thinking he didn't care about her. He didn't want her to feel insecure and doubt what she had told him. So he stood up, raised his head high and walked into the bedroom.

She was already curled up on the bed, but he could tell she wasn't asleep yet. He thought he heard her soft cries. He kicked off his boots and lay next to her, his arm wrapping around her waist, bringing her in close to his body.

Max let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding in when she heard him come into the bedroom. She pretended to be asleep because she didn't want to face the whole "rejection" conversation. Instead of the dreaded "I don't like you in that way" talk, she felt him lie next to her, holding her tight. She took hold of his hand wrapped around her and brought it up to her chest, pulling him that much closer. Forget the Blue Ridge Mountains, forget the rocky Maine coastline, this was her new happy place.

 **Sorry to end the chapter like this, but you gotta have some fluff before you can get to the smut** **J**


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Max woke to a loud clap of thunder. She had no idea what time it was, but it had gotten dark. She felt warmth all over her body and realized that she and Daryl had fallen asleep and were in the same spooning position. She had been so afraid of his reaction to her confession, but Daryl was never one to talk about his feelings. He was more the type to show you with some small gesture how he felt. She figured this was his small gesture.

She felt Daryl begin to stir. His face buried into her hair. He squeezed her gently, nuzzling the back of her neck. She slowly rolled over to face him, his are not moving from around her waist.

"Hey," he said in a gruff voice still full of sleep.

"Hey," she said taking her hand to sweep his hair from his face. She left her hand pressed against his cheek as she stared into those baby blues.

Daryl stared back at her, wanting to kiss her full, pink lips, but was afraid to. He had never been this intimate with a woman. Sure, he's had sex before, but they had all been drunken one-night stands. He had never been with someone that he actually cared about.

Max could tell he was nervous and trying to decide on what he should do. She decided to make the choice for him. She lifted her head so that they were practically nose-to-nose. She tilted her head a little and placed a soft kiss on his lips. She lingered there for a moment and began to pull away to gauge his reaction. Before she could completely pull away, Daryl moved his hand that had been resting on her hip to the back of her head and pulled her in for another kiss.

This one was stronger than the first one. She opened her mouth slightly to suck on his bottom lip. That was all the invitation that Daryl needed. He let his tongue glide across her bottom lip requesting entry into her mouth. She gladly obliged as their tongues began a dance in each other's mouths.

Their kisses began to get more passionate with each moment. Max ran her hand through Daryl's hair, pulling ever so gently. Her other hand started running up and down his back. Daryl's hand moved from her hair, tracing down her side, brushing against the side of her breast, eliciting a soft moan from her, back down to her hip. His hand continued downward, running down her outer thigh while he moved his lips to her neck.

As he gently licked and sucked on the spot where her neck meets her shoulder, his hand began to run up her dress to grab and massage her ass. Max moaned in his ear and he felt his dick jump. He stopped his advances, not meaning to take things very far, but the look in her eyes told him to keep going. She needed him and he needed her.

Max moved her hand underneath his shirt, causing him to tense slightly. She looked at him with a look of worry and confusion. He sat up and removed his shirt. _She showed me her scars, although they were internal, I can show her mine,_ he thought. He turned around, giving Max a full view of his scarred back.

"Courtesy of my dad growing up," Daryl said in a quiet voice.

Max lightly traced the scars with her fingers and then began kissing each one. She placed a hand on Daryl's shoulder, turning him back around and grabbed his hand, pulling him back down on top of her. She touched his cheek again and kissed his lips.

Daryl resumed his previous position, hand grabbing her ass while he kissed and sucked on her neck. His hand moved around to her stomach, slowly moving up to cup her right breast. Max's breathing hitched at his touch and sat up to remove her dress. She was laying there in her bra and panties.

"You are so beautiful," Daryl said to her, licking his lips as he took in the view.

He bent his head down, taking her lips in a deep, long kiss. He placed soft kisses down her throat making his way to her chest. He pulled both bra straps down, revealing her breasts. He reached around her back, unclasping her bra and threw it on the floor. He took her left breast in his hand, squeezing and massaging it. At the same time, he placed his mouth over her right breast, licking and sucking on her nipple causing it to harden. Max arched her back, pushing her breasts further into him. He then switched sides, giving the same attention to her left breast with his mouth.

"Daryl," Max let out in a breathy moan, causing him to grin.

He started kissing his was down to her stomach, running his tongue along the waistband of her panties. He quickly pulled the down, throwing them on the floor as well.

Max was rubbing her thighs together as her insides were tingling with anticipation.

Daryl took ran his hands up the back of both legs and back down the front of them. He spread her legs, giving him access. He kissed and licked up her left inner thigh making her hips buck upwards. He did the same up her right inner thigh getting the same reaction.

As he settled down in between her legs, he looked up at her. Her hazel eyes were dark with desire making him even harder than before. He threw both of her legs over his shoulders and began placing wet kisses along her entrance. When he reached her clit, he started flicking his tongue around it.

Max started moving her hips in rhythm with his tongue. Every time he licked or sucked on her clit, she wanted to let out a scream. She had never had this type of reaction before. Her whole body felt like it was on fire. She reached down and grabbed both of his hands that were placed on her hips.

Daryl stuck is tongue inside of her, rubbing his tongue along her walls.

"Oh God," she yelled. He knew she was close. Her hips jerking and moving erratically.

"That's it, cum for me," he said and that was all it took. Max felt her insides tense up and the suddenly release, like a dam breaking. Daryl felt her walls tighten around his tongue and then the wetness that followed. He devoured every inch of her, tasting her as she came.

"Fuck," was all she could get out. She was panting as her thighs shook around his head.

Daryl moved back up her body, resting his arms on either side of her head. He bent down giving her a kiss, his tongue entering her mouth. She could taste herself on him, which was a complete turn on.

She began fidgeting with his belt, trying her damnedest to get his pants off, but her hands were shaking, in part from the amazing orgasm she just had, in part out of nerves.

He chuckled slightly at her fumbling and sat up to give her a hand. He removed his pants along with his boxers. Max looked at the beautiful man standing in front of her. She couldn't help the sly smile that formed on her lips, knowing that all of this was hers. Daryl arched an eyebrow at the look on her face, causing Max to blush.

He climbed back on the bed, back on top of her. Max reached down to grab his dick. He moaned at her touch, as she began massaging the tip. She slowly started pumping up and down his shaft causing his hips to buck in her hand.

"I need you inside of me, Daryl," she said, almost whining.

She guided him to her entrance, placing the tip of his dick just inside of her, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.

"Don't know how long I'm gonna be able to last," Daryl said, almost apologetically,

She kissed his temple and he thrust once into her. She gasped at the feeling of him stretching her, but it wasn't uncomfortable. He thrust into her once more and was fully inside of her. He stilled himself not wanting to blow his load right then. But Max began grinding her hips against him.

"Shit, Max," Daryl let out a moan. "You feel so good."

He started slow, finding a rhythm, Max bringing her hips up to meet his with each thrust. She could feel her body ignite again.

"Faster," she urged. Daryl buried his face in the crook of her neck to stifle his moans as he picked up the pace.

Max felt the build up in her body, every nerve ending on fire, her head spinning.

"Da…ryl," she moaned as he began pounding into her. "I'm gon...na…," and with that her walls tightened around his dick as her orgasm reached its peak. Daryl lifted her leg up as he thrust in her at a furious pace to find his own release. He felt her wetness flood around him as his dick swelled.

"Max," he yelled as he fell over the edge, her quivering walls hugging his dick as he came.

After they both came down from their highs, Daryl still inside her, he leaned up and kissed her gently.

"That was amazing," she smiled up at him.

"Got that right," he smiled right back.

 **Okay, there you go. 14 chapters in and they finally did it. Will probably have some more sexy time before Jesus comes back to bring them home. Don't know how much more "alone" time our couple will have once the war with Negan starts.**


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Daryl woke to the early morning sun shining into the bedroom. It took him a moment to realize his surroundings and the memory of last night came flooding back. He looked down at the girl that was snuggled against his side, her head on his shoulder and her hand on his chest. He could not believe that someone like her would care about someone like him. She was beautiful, smart and funny, but she had her demons just like everyone else.

He began running his fingers through her hair causing her to stir slightly and snuggle into his side even closer. He couldn't help but smile. The feeling of her body pressed against his felt incredible. It felt as if they had known each other their whole lives. It felt like home. Daryl could feel his heart swell, along with other parts of his anatomy. He had never felt like this about anyone before. Sure there were people that he cared deeply for, like Carol and Beth, but he never felt like this.

 _Is this what love feels like?_ He wondered to himself. As he was contemplating these new emotions running through his heart and his head, he felt Max's arm wrap around his waist as she lightly ran her fingers up and down his side making him shiver. Then he felt soft kisses on the side of his neck. He couldn't help but lean into them and nuzzle his head on top of hers.

"Good morning," he heard her say in a groggy voice that he found adorable.

"Mornin," he replied back still enjoying her lips on his neck.

"So, what do you want to do today?" she asked, raising herself up on her elbow so she could look him. She still had sleepy eyes and a lopsided grin.

"Dunno, what do you want to do today?" Daryl asked with a mischievous look in his eyes.

"We've only been here a day. I'm sure Jesus will be back to let us know if it's safe to go home in another day or two. Until then, I think we should take advantage of the seclusion and make the most of it," Max said as she moved her leg over Daryl and slid her body on top of his, legs straddling his thighs.

She bent down slowly and placed a kiss on his lips. He moved his hands up the outside of her thighs and rested them on her hips.

"Sounds like a plan," he said as he raised his head to kiss her again.

Max licked his bottom lip, causing Daryl to part his lips a little so she could have full access with her tongue. He dropped his head back down on the pillow, her lips following his. Max reached up to touch his cheek as his hands began rubbing softly up and down her back.

This kiss became more urgent, their tongues fighting for dominance, but Daryl let Max take over. With a small grin, she moved her tongue down his neck and gave a quick nip on his pulse. Daryl let out a low moan.

She left a trail of wet kisses down his neck to his collarbone and chest. When she reached his nipple she gave it a flick of her tongue and heard him breathe in sharply. She ran her tongue to his other nipple, flicking that one with her tongue and getting the same reaction. She raised her eyes at him so she could see him through her long lashes and grinned.

Daryl was already in heaven. Feeling her body pressed against his, her fingers lightly tracing his sides and her tongue slowly running down his body. He felt like he could explode right then and there before she even made it to his dick. He had his fingers tangled in her hair as she made her way further down.

Max traced a line down his stomach with her tongue, kissing and gently biting underneath his ribs. This caused Daryl's hips to shoot up, as his extremely hard dick was right between her breasts.

"Easy there, fella," Max said in a husky voice. "I'm just getting started."

Daryl's face blushed slightly, but he became too distracted by Max's movements to even care about being embarrassed.

Max had shimmied her way down his body not leaving one inch of his torso untouched by either her hands or her mouth. She placed her hands on his hips and used her body to spread his legs just enough for her to lie between them. She started kissing up the inside of his thigh, her hair brushing against his erection. She gave the same attention to his other thigh.

Just when Daryl didn't think he could take the teasing anymore, she grasped his dick with one hand and ran her tongue up the underside of his shaft to the tip and lowered her open mouth back down, taking every inch of him in.

"Fuuuucckkk," he let out a long moan.

She could already taste the pre-cum. She swirled her tongue around the tip, gathering the moisture and sucked back down his shaft. Daryl's hands ran through her hair guiding her at just the right pace. Each time she sucked him fully into her mouth, his hips would buck upwards.

Max began massaging his balls, sending shockwaves through his body. She was getting off on his reactions, feeling herself get wetter with each moan that escaped his lips. He knew he wasn't going to last much longer. He pulled her up to him and began kissing her passionately, fingers still tangled in her hair.

"Need to be inside you now," he said, almost in a growl causing Max to shiver this time.

Max sat up as Daryl grabbed his throbbing dick and placed just under her entrance. She slowly lowered herself on him, wiggling her hips and arching her back until he was fully inside her.

"Damn, can't believe how wet you already are," he let out breathily. He looked at the sight in front of him. Max sitting straight up, her head slightly thrown back as she felt him stretching her walls. Her hands pressed flat on his stomach. He had never seen anything more beautiful. He ran his hands up her sides and cupped her breasts. As he began massaging each one, she began rotating her hips, grinding her clit on his pelvic bone.

"Oh, God," she let out a moan, reminiscent of his earlier growl.

Daryl sat up so he could take her right breast in his mouth, licking around and sucking on her nipple making it hard. She had her hands on his shoulders as she started to move up and down while rotating her hips every so often.

Each time she moved her hips; his pelvic bone rubbed her clit, making her tingle all over. As she moved up and down his length, the tip of his dick would hit her sweet spot. She tried to keep a slow pace, in part, knowing it was driving him crazy, but she also wanted this to last as long as possible. He felt so good inside her, filling her, making her feel whole.

Max pushed Daryl back down by his shoulders running her nails down his chest and across his hard nipples and she straightened back up. His hands falling back down to her hips. She quickened her pace, causing her breasts to bounce up and down. She arched her back, placing her hands on his thighs right about his knees. Every time she came down, he was meeting her with a thrust hitting her g-spot.

"Shit, Daryl," she panted. "Almost there."

Daryl could feel her walls begin to twitch around his dick. He knew she was close.

"Wanna watch you come on my dick."

Max felt an explosion start from her head and ripple its way down her body as she came. Daryl continued to thrust into her as her whole body shook, letting her ride out her orgasm. His soon followed, filling her as he began to soften inside her.

Max collapsed on his sweaty chest, both of them panting heavily. He kissed the top of her head as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I could so get used to this," she said, not being able to wipe the smile off her face.

"Me too," he replied as they both drifted off.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Jesus was making his way towards the gates where Maggie was keeping watch. He admired the woman and her strength. After everything she has lost, she never once thought about giving up. He could see how the Hilltop residents responded to her. They too admired and respected her. She had already taken the role as leader of their community, although Gregory was still technically their leader.

He noticed that something caught Maggie's attention beyond the walls.

"Open the gates," she called out.

As the gates opened, Jesus saw the ragtag group. Rick, Carl, Michonne, Aaron, Rosita and Tara walked in. Sasha came out to greet everyone as Maggie climbed down from her post. Everyone embraced each other as the family was back together. Jesus smiled at the scene. For so long it had just been him and Max that he'd forgotten what having a family felt like.

Rick came up to Jesus and told him about the events of the day. Negan and the Saviors had come to Alexandria and killed two of its residents. Rosita had shot at Negan, only to put a bullet in Lucille. They had taken Eugene hostage.

Jesus noticed the look in Rick's eyes. He was ready to fight back. They were going to need help if they planned to take on Negan and his group.

"For us to even stand a chance against the Saviors, we're going to need more people," Rick said.

"I've been thinking about that," Jesus told him. "Maggie can rally the residents of Hilltop to fight."

"What makes you think I can do that," Maggie asked.

"I've seen how they look to you," Jesus replied. "People here look up to you. You have shown them more kindness and respect in the last couple of days than Gregory ever did. You care about them and this place."

"It's still not enough," Rick said.

"There's someone you need to meet," said Jesus. "There's another community, the Kingdom. It's run by King Ezekiel. He's a little dramatic, but he's a good man. We could get them on our side as well."

The group grabbed supplies for their trip and left for the Kingdom.

"There's one stop we need to make first," Jesus told the group. "We need to pick up a couple more people."


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Max and Daryl had been hanging out on the dock most of the morning. Max had her feet splashing in the lake. Daryl just sat there watching her. He couldn't believe everything that had happened. He watched two of his friends brutally murdered in front of him, was taken hostage and tortured, and now he was here with this beautiful woman who currently didn't seem to have a care in the world.

Daryl wished he could stay in this moment forever. But he knew that was impossible. He did have to get back to his family. He didn't know how they would react towards him. Would they blame him for Glen's death? Would they hate him now? He wouldn't blame them if they did. Max tried to make him see that all of this wasn't his fault and deep down he knew it, but he still had that twinge of guilt.

"What are you thinking about," Max asked, jolting Daryl from his thoughts.

"Nuttin'," he said a little too quickly.

Max brought her feet out of the water and turned to look at him. She could see the pain in his eyes. She scooted towards him and climbed into his lap, straddling him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead against his. Daryl's first instinct was to push her off, still not used to showing affection outside of the bedroom. But he didn't. He needed her, needed her warmth.

"You're worried about seeing them again," she said softly as if she had been reading his mind.

Daryl just shrugged.

"They aren't going to blame you for anything," she continued. "They are just as worried about you as you are them." She placed her hands on his cheeks, making him look at her. "They're your family and they love you."

She kissed him on the corner of his mouth and wrapped her arms back around his neck. He laid his head on her shoulder; his face buried in her hair and wrapped his arms around her waist.

They sat like that for a while when they hear a rustling in the woods by the cabin. They quickly stood up and ran behind a big maple tree. Max was standing behind Daryl and he had a protective arm in front of her making sure she stayed hidden. His tense stance relaxed when he saw Jesus making his way around the side of the cabin.

"Jesus!" Max exclaimed as she ran and hugged her friend.

"I brought some people I thought y'all might like to see," he said, looking at Daryl as he came up behind Max.

Daryl looked past Jesus and saw them, him family heading toward him. So many emotions ran through him at that moment; fear, guilt, relief. He took a couple of hesitant steps toward the group, not knowing what to do. It was Maggie that came up to him first.

"I'm so glad you're ok," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug. Daryl couldn't say anything back. He just hugged her back, feeling a huge weight lifting off of him.

"I'm sorry," he managed to croak out as he fought back the tears.

"Don't. Don't do that," she said, pulling back to look at him. "It wasn't your fault." Daryl simply nodded.

Everyone came up and embraced Daryl, telling him how happy they were to see him. He didn't feel any anger from anyone, any blame. All he felt was the love that they all had for each other.

Rick was the last to greet him. There were no words spoken. They both embraced in a hug and Rick patted him on the back. Rick had told him at one time that he was his brother. This was how two brothers reuniting were supposed to be. They both pulled back, each fighting back the tears.

Max looked on and her heart began to swell. She knew there was no way they would blame Daryl for what happened, but she still was a little afraid of a negative outcome. At that moment, seeing some of the pain that the guilt brought on leave Daryl, she couldn't stop the single tear that ran down her face. She was definitely in love with this man and it broke her heart to see him hurting. Now she smiled as she watched him start to heal.

"So, did I miss anything good," Jesus whispered into her ear with a smirk.

"Shut it," she said quietly and gave him a not so convincing evil eye as her cheeks flushed.

He chuckled at her knowing full well what all happened during her and Daryl's time together.

"At least one of us got some," he said earning him a smack against the back of his head.


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The air around the group had changed. You could feel it. The grief and sorrow that had surrounded them morphed into determination and purpose. As they made their way to the Kingdom, heads were held a little higher, backs a little straighter.

Max kept in step with Daryl towards the back of the group. She could feel it when he would glance her way as she did the same. They never discussed what they were to each other, but after a couple of rounds of amazing sex and a few other intimate moments at the cabin, they were definitely "together". She knew Daryl wasn't the type to hop into bed with just anyone, well not sober anyway, and he never showed his emotions to anyone.

Daryl would look over at Max every now and then when her arm would "accidentally" brush up against his causing the corners of his mouth to twitch upwards slightly. He didn't do relationships, wouldn't even know where to start. All he knew was that he had to be with her. It was like a magnet pulling him toward her. She made him feel good about himself, made him feel like he deserved something good in his life. And he wanted to be that for her as well.

Daryl noticed the group slowing down as they approached a set of steel gates. He looked over at Max. She was grinning at him. He felt his face heat up, wondering if she had been reading his mind. She had a way of knowing what he was thinking.

"What," he asked.

"Oh, you'll see," was all she said as they walked through the gates.


	20. Chapter 19

**Happy New Year to everyone!**

 **Thanks so much for the reviews and follows.**

Chapter 19

"Jesus!" a loud voice boomed throughout the auditorium as the group made their way to the stage. "And the lovely, Max, what a surprise!"

"King Ezekiel," Jesus said. "I want you to meet our friends."

Max tried to stifle a laugh as she took in everyone's reaction to the King. They all were standing there with their mouths agape. Yes, he was a little over the top, but that's not what had caught everyone's attention. What the group was staring at in awe was the tiger that sat by King Ezekiel's side.

"Max, please come. Shiva has missed you," Ezekiel said.

Max looked over to Daryl, who was giving her a worried look, to let him know that it was ok. She almost bounded up the steps to where Ezekiel was sitting. She was just as surprised as everyone here the first time she met the pair. However, after spending time at the Kingdom, Shiva began to take a liking to her. Max squatted down as the tiger nudged her head against her hands and actually purred.

"Max, you're the only one that my girl does that with," Ezekiel said amused.

Daryl was still standing there with his mouth wide open. He could not believe the sight he was seeing. How could she not be scared to death of this beast?

"Now, what brings you fine people to the Kingdom?" Ezekiel asked as Max stood up and returned to the group. Daryl couldn't help but notice the smile on her face.

"King, this is Rick Grimes," Jesus said, gesturing to Rick. "And this is his family."

"Rick?" a voice came from behind them. They all turned around to see Morgan walking towards them.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Morgan," Rick started. "We ran into some trouble while trying to get Maggie to the Hilltop."

"What kind of trouble?" Morgan asked, noticing the grief on Rick's face.

"We ran into a group of men, a large group, larger than any group we've encountered so far." Rick began, trying to choose his words carefully. "They call themselves the Saviors."

Ezekiel's interest peaked at the mention of the Saviors.

Rick continued, "Abraham and Glenn are gone. They took Daryl hostage and came to Alexandria where Olivia and Spencer were also killed. Jesus helped Daryl escape just a few days ago."

Morgan looked at each set of eyes. When he looked at Maggie, he could see the pain she was feeling. "I am so sorry," he said. "Is everything ok with the baby?"

"Yes," she replied. "Thank you for asking."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Ezekiel said. "What is it that you want from my people?"

"We cannot take on Negan and the Saviors on our own," Rick began addressing the King. "They far outnumber us, even with help from the Hilltop. I thought if we could get all three communities to ban together, we might have a shot."

Ezekiel thought about this for a moment. "True, the Saviors have been a thorn in my side for quite some time now, but I fear that bringing a fight to them would only worsen things," he said. "I'm afraid I do not share your confidence."

"Ezekiel," Jesus began. "Please, listen to Rick's plan. If you still do not want to get involved, we'll understand and leave you be."

As Ezekiel, Jesus and Rick made there way out of the auditorium to go over what Rick and Jesus have come up with so far, Max walked over to Daryl.

"How you doin," she asked, looking up at him.

"Ok," he said. "Still trying to get over seeing you petting a fuckin' tiger."

"Oh, she's just a big baby," Max said with a smirk.

"Hello, I'm Morgan," Morgan said, extending his hand to Max. "I don't think we've officially met."

"Hi, I'm Max," she replied.

Morgan sensed something going on between Daryl and Max. He noticed Daryl seemed relaxed with the woman, even more so than he is with Carol. Which reminded him, "Daryl, I think you need to come with me."

Daryl and Max followed Morgan to a house outside of the Kingdom's walls. Morgan walked on the front porch and knocked on the door. Daryl was a little surprised when the door opened and he was looking at Carol.

"What are ya'll doing here," she said a little perturbed, looking at Morgan.

"Carol, we need to talk to you," Morgan said.

"I told you, I want to be left alone," she said, getting more irritated, still not looking at Daryl.

"Ain't gonna happen," Daryl said and pushed his way into the house.

Carol stepped aside so Morgan and Max could also enter.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Daryl started, making Carol jump slightly at his outburst.

"We're going to step outside and give you two some privacy to talk," Max said, grabbing Morgan's arm and heading out the door.

"What are you doing here, Daryl," Carol asked.

"I could ask you the same question," he replied.

"I told y'all, I can't do this anymore," she said quietly.

"Yeah, I heard. A fuckin' note huh? After everything that we've been through, you run out without saying a word to anyone," Daryl was getting frustrated. Rick had told him that Carol took off the day that he went after Dwight. He had told him that Tobin found her note that morning.

"Daryl, it's not like that and you know it," her voice rising a bit. "I can't keep killing. And if I'm with you all, I know I will have to make that choice again."

"You got into my shit out on the farm when I started to pull away from the group. And here you are doing the same damn thing! You have no idea what we've been through, what all has happened, because you want to live in your little house pretending that you can live in this world without having to do bad things. Well, we do have to make those choices and do things that we may not be proud of, but the difference between us and the truly bad people out there is that we do it to protect the people that we love."

Daryl's anger was starting to subside. Carol had been through so much. With trying to just survive day to day, it was easy to not think about the choices that she has had to make. Since arriving in Alexandria, it gave all of them a moment to process the things that they've all done. Daryl was fortunate that he found Max. She's given him a reason to live again and do what needs to be done. Carol didn't have that. Sure, she had been seeing Tobin, but Daryl had a feeling that was more out of convenience than anything.

"Daryl, what are you talking about?" Carol asked. "What's happened?"

Daryl took in a deep breath. How was he going to tell her about Abe and Glenn?

"We met the real Negan," he said. "Dwight captured me, Michonne, Rosita and Glenn when I went out looking for him. Met up with Negan and the rest of the group out in the woods. Rick, Sasha, Abraham, Carl, Eugene and Aaron were trying to get Maggie to Hilltop. She was in pain and scared something was happening with the baby. Negan killed Abe and Glenn, right in front of us."

Silent tears fell down his face as he told Carol what happened. When he was done, she sat down on the sofa in shock.

"Daryl, I can't," she finally spoke. "I'm sorry."

Daryl looked at her with what she thought was disappointment. He turned on his heels and stormed out of the house, passing Morgan and Max on the porch.


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

King Ezekiel had told Rick and Jesus that he would need to think things over before making a decision. He agreed to let Daryl stay at the Kingdom since Negan wouldn't think to look for him there.

"I'm sorry things didn't go well with Carol," Max said to him as they were settling in for the night.

"I just can't believe she's giving up like that," Daryl said.

Daryl felt like Carol was abandoning them, abandoning him. He should be used to it by now, though. Everyone was always leaving him, in his eyes, everyone from his mom to his brother. _No, no one sticks around Daryl Dixon for too long,_ he thought to himself.

Max watched, as Daryl seemed to be deep in thought. She knew he was some how turning this around in his head to be his fault. She hated to see him beat himself up. That was one of her fears when Jesus brought him back. She was afraid he would loathe himself even more, if that were possible. Daryl never talked about what happened while he was being held at the Sanctuary and she never pushed the subject. She figured when he was ready he would open up to her. All she could do was wait and be there for him when he did.

"Tell me something about yourself that I don't already know," Max said as she climbed on the bed and nestled beside him, her head on his chest. She was trying to get his mind off of his argument with Carol.

"Not much to tell," he said.

"Now you know I don't believe that," she said, lifting her head and setting her chin on his chest so she could look at him. "Everyone's got a story to tell."

"Well, there is one that you might appreciate," he began. "On one of my brother's and mine camping trips, we decided to eat some mushrooms and I saw a chupacabra." Daryl proceeded to tell his chupacabra story and the subsequent story of when he fell off a cliff while looking for Carol's daughter, Sophia, getting impaled with one of his own arrows, then getting shot by Andrea when he made his way back to the farm.

Max sat up. "So let me get this straight. You fall off a cliff, had an arrow through your side, fight off two walkers and just as you make it back to camp, some dumb blonde shoots you in the head?"

"Well the bullet only grazed me," he said, realizing it really was a miracle he was still alive after that day.

"Damn, you really are a badass," she said with a grin.

"Stop," he scoffed, clearly embarrassed.

She liked it when Daryl would tell her something about his life, whether it was a crazy story like this one or something small, yet personal like when he talked about his brother. It all gave her little glimpses into the man she had become very fond of.

"Ok, tell me something about you then," he said, almost challenging her.

"I've told you most of my stories," she said.

"Tell me about you and Jesus," Daryl said. He had always wanted to know how the two of them became so close. And he couldn't help the little nagging in the back of his head that kept wondering why she was with someone like him instead of Jesus.

"You already know about me and Jesus," she said.

"Well, I know you grew up together and that you traveled across country on a bus," he said. "How did the two of you become such good friends?"

"Well, like I said before, we grew up together. We lived on the same street since we were 5 years old. Started kindergarten together, went through our awkward teen years together. As the years went by, we realized we were the only person the other wanted to be around. We became best friends," Max said.

"Did you two ever date?" Daryl asked so quiet Max almost didn't hear him.

"Me and Jesus, date? Nah," she said. "Don't get me wrong, around the time we both hit puberty, I did develop somewhat of a crush on him." Daryl's heart sank a bit. "But Jesus was beginning to discover who he was and who he was did not have any interest in me that way."

Max could see confusion set in on Daryl's face. "You see, Daryl, Jesus is gay."

Daryl suddenly felt relieved. Max almost chuckled at the change in his expression.

"Wait, were you jealous of Jesus?" Maxed asked.

"No," Daryl answered a little too quickly.

"I was the first person he came out to," she said. "It was after a party one night. I got drunk and tried to kiss him. He turned me down which made me all upset. He told me that he'd always loved me, but just not in a romantic way. After a couple of years, he came out to his parents. It was a disaster. They kicked him out of the house, so he came and lived with us. My family wasn't thrilled about the idea of their little girl being best friends with a homosexual, but they knew I would stand by him no matter what. I think they were more scared of me running around embarrassing them, so they decided to let him live with us so they could keep an eye on me. But we got preached to practically every day."

"We both knew we had to get out of that town," she continued. "There were only so many times we could've been told we were going to burn in hell by those bible thumpers. That's why we traveled so much. We were just trying to find our place in the world. And now that the world has changed, we're still trying to find our place."

Daryl looked at her and brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear. He admired how she could see the good in people, even after growing up around so much bigotry and hate. Hell, she saw something good enough in him to take a chance on him with, something that still puzzled him.

"I see your wheels turning, Dixon," she said. "What's going through that brain of yours?"

"I'm just wondering what you're doing with a guy like me," he said.

Max just shook her head. "I wish you wouldn't do that," she said.

"Do what?" he asked.

"Not thinking highly of yourself," she said. "You're a good man, Daryl Dixon."

He grunted as in disbelief. "You don't know half of the shit that I've done just to survive and I'm not just talking about since the world went to hell."

"Ok, you want to know why I'm with you?" she asked. She leaned back down to him, her face inches from his. "It's because of those," she said motioning to his eyes. "You may be rough around the edges. You may have scars and the horrible stories that go with those scars. You could have easily become some drunken asshole that hates the world around him and the people in it. But you didn't become that person. And when I look into those eyes, all I see is a gentleness and love for those close to him," she said as she brushed his falling bangs out of his face. "I could get lost in those eyes. They make me feel safe."

Daryl could feel his face turn three different shades of red. Max noticed it too and gave him a slight smile.

"I love you," she said. She didn't know why those words came out of her mouth. She had thought about her feelings for Daryl. Yes, she was in love with him, but was nowhere near ready to tell him that. She knew it would freak him out and send him running.

A thick silence fell between them. She was waiting for him to bolt for the door. But he didn't. Instead he grabbed her face and kissed her lips gently. He pulled her closer as he let his tongue touch her bottom lip gaining access to her mouth. The kiss intensified as their tongues teased and tasted one another. Max ran her hands to the back of his head, tangling her fingers in his hair.

Max honestly wasn't expecting Daryl to tell her that he loved her back, but she certainly didn't expect this either. It was like he was putting the words he couldn't say into that kiss.

Max began unbuttoning Daryl's shirt and he sat up so she could remove it, still not breaking the kiss. Only when he began lifting her shirt up did they break apart so she could pull it over her head. Once it was thrown on the floor their lips quickly went back to one another as their bodies were pressed against each other. Max loved the feel of Daryl's bare chest against hers, feeling his heart beat against hers.

Daryl turned her over so he was on top of her, his hands resting on the bed beside her head. He ran one hand down to begin work on her pants as she started to fiddle with his. Soon there was nothing between them, clothes lying in a heap on the floor. Daryl ran his hand up her thigh as he hooked her leg around his waist.

Max broke free of his lips and looked into those baby blues of his, those baby blues that she wanted to get lost in. "Make love to me," she said in a breathy whisper, and with that Daryl slid into her.

His forehead was pressed against hers as he stilled himself, giving her time to adjust to him. She wrapped her other let around his waist and moved her hips up, signaling to him that she was ready. He kept his pace slow, wanting this feeling to last. He had one hand holding her leg around him, while the other caressed her face. Every now and then he would dip his head down to place soft kisses on her lips.

Max ran her hands up and down his back, her nails lightly scratching over his scars making him shiver. She kept her eyes locked on his and each time he moved deep inside her she could feel herself getting closer to her release.

Daryl was getting close too as his pace began to pick up. Max kept her hands on his lower back right pushing him further into her with each thrust, their eyes still locked on each other's. Daryl had never made love to a woman before. Sex had always been just that for him, a way for two people to get off. This was different. This was two people showing each other how deeply they care for one another. It scared the hell out of him, but he loved it too much to care. She had told him she loved him. All he wanted to do was show her how much he loved her too.

They both were getting close to their orgasms. Daryl wanted to bury his head in her neck and pound into her until she came, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from hers. It was like she was looking into his soul. His rhythm started to falter as he felt his dick start to swell. At that moment, he felt her walls contract around him and her thighs began to shake. He saw her eyes widen and a small whimper escape her mouth as she came. While Max was riding out her orgasm, he came as well, filling her with everything he had.

They laid there, bodies slick with sweat and panting. Max was tracing small circles on his lower back as their breathing returned to normal. Daryl looked at her and saw nothing but love in her hazel eyes. He saw a single tear escape and brushed it off her cheek with his thumb. And it was in that moment he decided to do something he never thought he would ever do.

"I love you too," he said softly.

 **Sorry for the mushy stuff, but who wouldn't want Daryl to be mushy at least once?**


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Today was the day. Today was the day that Negan's reign of terror would end. Rick and Jesus met once more with Ezekiel after he decided to join them. The plan was for everything to go down at Alexandria, knowing that Negan would personally be there. He had never showed his face around the Hilltop or Kingdom much, but Negan had taken a personal joy in humiliating Rick and his group.

The Alexandrians were ready for war. They had scavenged weapons and Eugene made good on his skills to make ammo. The plan was for the Alexandrians to fight within their walls, while residents from the other two communities made a surprise attack outside of the walls.

A day ago, Daryl and Max publically made their way to Alexandria, hoping Negan would have some of his men scoping out the surrounding areas searching for Daryl. Rick knew that Daryl escaping would really piss Negan off and bruise his ego. He knew Negan would stop at nothing to get Daryl back and make an example of him.

Daryl and Max had made it back without any problems; however, Daryl did get the feeling that they were being followed. This was the first time Daryl had been back here since everything had happened. He was tense at being back "home". Hell, this place never felt like home to him to begin with. Sure he was with his family, but he never quite felt comfortable living in the giant homes. _Maybe when all of this is over, I'll go stay with Max at Hilltop,_ he had thought to himself.

It had been a quiet evening. Rick had the group over to his house for dinner. It did not go unnoticed the faces that were missing from their table: Abraham, Glenn and Carol. Daryl felt the pang of guilt creep up, but at that moment, Max put her hand on his knee and gave a gentle squeeze. He looked down at her and she gave him a warm smile. She knew exactly what he had been thinking.

After dinner, everyone went their separate ways, Daryl and Max going up to his room for the night. Daryl was worried about the next day. He was scared Max would get hurt or worse. As they lay there in his bed, curled up together like one big ball, he tried to put those thoughts out of his mind. _Focus on this moment, right here,_ he thought.

Again, as if she had been reading his mind, she looked up into his eyes and kissed him gently. "We're all going to get through this and be ok," she said. They both fell asleep, each wondering what the next day would bring, but each also thankful for the time that they had together.

Now, as everyone waited in their designated positions, tension filling the air, Daryl looked over to where Max was and couldn't help but smile. A sense of calm washed over him, when she met his gaze, something that he had never felt before. For once he did feel like everything was going to work out and he had something to look forward to.

Daryl was pulled from his thoughts by the loud banging on the gates. They were in what used to be the Monroe house, keeping guard by the windows on the 2nd floor. He saw Rick walk toward the gates and opened them up. Negan strolled with Lucille resting against his shoulder. There were two trucks loaded with Saviors that came in after him. From their vantage point, Daryl could make out another couple of trucks parked outside the gates.

"Now, Rick," Negan said. "A little bird told me something very interesting yesterday. That little bird told me that you have something that belongs to me. Y'see, ol' Mister Daryl thought he could get away from me and my boys, but that just isn't the case. He may have gotten away from the Sanctuary, but what he didn't know is that I am everywhere. And I would end up finding him one way or another and bring him back."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Rick began. "I haven't seen Daryl since you took him away."

"Don't lie to me, Rick," Negan said. "It's not becoming of you."

At that moment Daryl walked out of the house, Max following close behind ready to pounce.

"Ah, there he is," Negan exclaimed. "Lucille here has missed you."

Negan's eyes looked past Daryl at the woman standing behind him.

"And who do we have here?" he asked. "Don't tell me this beautiful woman is with you. Damn son, I didn't think you had it in you. Now tell me, sweetheart," Negan said, all of his attention now on Max. "What on earth are you doing with a man like that? You must like it rough then. Is that it?" Negan was goading Daryl, trying to get him to slip and lose it.

"Now why would I tell you anything about how I like it?" Max asked, her voice laced with venom. "You probably couldn't even get it up."

Daryl shook his head. _She's got balls; I give her that,_ he thought.

Negan got in Max's face as hatred glared from his eyes. "Missy, you best watch who you speak to like that," he spat as he laid Lucille against Max's shoulder. "Wouldn't want to upset my girl here, now would you?"

"Nah, wouldn't want to do that," Max said barely above a whisper. Everyone was so focused on whether or not Negan was going to take a swing at Max's head, no one noticed the long, thin steel object that slipped out of Max's long sleeve t-shirt into her hand.


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

It took a moment before anyone realized that something was wrong. Negan and Max were nose to nose, Lucille lying against Max's shoulder. Negan's eyes widened slightly as his mouth fell open. Then one of Negan's men noticed the blood that began staining Negan's white t-shirt at his abdomen.

"NOW!" Rick yelled.

That was when all hell broke loose. Guns were going off, people were running and screaming. Daryl grabbed Max and ran back into the house. They ran up to their 2nd floor perch where they had their rifles. They began shooting down into the street, taking Saviors out one by one.

Negan tried to get up, still in shock, yelling for the rest of his men outside of the gates to tear everything down. Little did he know that they were preoccupied with the Hilltop and Kingdom groups.

It was chaos. Daryl and Max heard the back door bust open. They quickly and quietly ran into another room and waited for the intruder. Max was standing behind the door as Daryl was crouched around the corner. He saw the front of his crossbow slowly come through the door. _Dwight._

Max slammed her whole body against the door causing Dwight to stumble and accidentally pull the trigger on the crossbow releasing the bolt he had already loaded. Daryl grabbed at the bow, yanking Dwight forward with it.

"That's my crossbow," Daryl sneered as he began punching and kicking Dwight. He didn't know where his punches were landing and he didn't really care. Every emotion, every doubt, every regret that Daryl had since Dwight and Sherry robbed him of his stuff in the burnt forest that day came out.

Dwight was on the floor, barely moving. Daryl lifted him up, taking the leather vest with the angel wings on the back off of him. "This is mine too," Daryl said as he kicked him one last time.

Max just stood out of the way during the fight. She knew Daryl had to get all of that hate and aggression towards Dwight out of him. She couldn't say that it didn't frighten her, seeing Daryl like that, but she understood. She went up to him as he stood there breathing heavily from the brawl. She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. Daryl kissed the top of her head and his heart rate started to slow back down to normal.

That was the first time that they both noticed how quiet it was outside.


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Daryl and Max walked outside and saw all of the carnage that laid inn streets. The gates opened up as Ezekiel, Jesus, Maggie and Sasha walked in. Max was so relieved to see her friend standing there. She walked up to him and gave him a giant hug.

"Max, Max, I'm ok," Jesus said, gasping for air.

"Sorry, you know how I worry," she said as she let go.

Everyone took in their surroundings with exhausted looks on their faces. Most of the Saviors were killed during the fight. The ones that survived surrendered saying how they never wanted to be a part of the fight to begin with. There was a jail cell that Morgan had built that Jesus and Aaron took the remaining Saviors to. They were going to escort them back to the Sanctuary the following day to see who or what was left there. It had been decided that everything at the Sanctuary would be divided evenly amongst the three communities.

Max couldn't help but grin when she saw Jesus and Aaron interacting. Aaron was a cutie. Maybe, just maybe Jesus would take his own advice for once.

Negan was still alive, rolling around on the ground. He had lost a lot of blood and was in a lot of pain. Everyone began to gather around the monster. Daryl wrapped his arm around Max, pulling her in close to his side. Rick, Michonne and Carl stood there looking down at him. Rick was holding Michonne's hand and had his arm thrown over Carl's shoulder.

"You think you've won," Negan began, blood spurting from his mouth. "You haven't won. Look at how many people you've killed. Look at all of the bad things you've done. You're just like me."

"We are nothing like you," Maggie said as she walked up to the dying man with Lucille in her hand.

"Oh, no?" Negan asked. "Tell me you don't want to do to me what I did to your husband."

"I believe me, I do," Maggie said. "But the difference between you and me is that I'm not going to." She dropped Lucille on the ground by Negan's head. "But that doesn't mean I'm not going to kill you," she added as she pulled her gun out and fired a bullet between Negan's eyes.


	25. Epilogue

Epilogue

"Jesus, come on! Everyone's waiting," Max said impatiently.

"Alright, I'm coming," he said stepping out of his trailer with his last box of belongings. "I think I have everything," he said.

"I can't believe you're moving to Alexandria," Max said. "What am I going to do without you here?"

"I don't think you're going to have any problems finding something to do around here," he said with a smirk causing Max to blush.

"Yeah, we stay pretty busy," Max said as she turned even redder.

"Who keeps who busy?" Daryl had come up behind the two of them as Jesus was loading up the truck.

"Oh, nothing," Max and Jesus both said at the same time.

"Come on, we're going to be late," Jesus said as he made his way towards Barrington House.

Daryl grabbed Max's arm once Jesus was a little ways ahead of them and pulled her into his chest. "Don't think I don't know what you two were talking about," he gave her his trademark grin.

"I have no idea what you mean?" she said innocently, batting her eyelashes.

"Hmmf," he grunted. "Let's just say you're going to be REAL busy tonight," he said with a wink and bent his head down to kiss her.

"Are y'all going to get in here or stand out there making out like teenagers all night?" Jesus yelled from the front porch. They both flipped him off and made their way towards the house.

It had been a tough 6 months. There wasn't much fallout from the Saviors' demise as Rick had prepared for, but they did learn of two more communities that existed. After meeting with them and working out a way to keep peace between them all, along with a trade agreement, things were finally starting to settle down. Maggie and the Hilltop were the unofficial "capital" since they seemed to be in the direct center of all the communities.

Tonight was a night to celebrate what they all had accomplished and to have the residents from all communities get to know one another. Jesus, Daryl and Max walked into the large dining hall of Barrington House where everyone was gathered around.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for all of the hard work in getting our communities together," Maggie said.

As Maggie was speaking, Max looked around the room at everyone. Rick and Michonne actually had smiles on their faces. Sasha and Rosita seemed to have put aside their differences and were standing together with Father Gabriel and Tara listening to Maggie's words.

Max looked to her left at Jesus and Aaron, as they would occasionally steal glances at one another. Then she looked up to the man standing to her right. Daryl caught her staring at him and gave her a puzzled look. She mouthed 'Nothing', and wrapped her arm around his and placed her head on his shoulder. For once in her life she was happy and content with being in one place, as long as that place was with Daryl.

"We can continue to thrive and support each other," Maggie stopped abruptly, rubbing her belly. Enid and Sasha each ran to her side.

"Maggie, what's wrong," Sasha asked with concern.

"Uh, nothing's wrong," Maggie replied. "I'm just going into labor."

 **Well, that's it. I hope you enjoyed it. I really did have fun writing it. I've been reading some Daryl fanfics lately where he had a girlfriend/wife before the ZA. I wouldn't mind exploring that a bit. Working on something in my head first before I can share it with all of you.**

 **Thanks again for all of your comments!**


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